Mar 8

Mar 8 Poached Rhubarb and Cardamom Creme Anglaise

This eye catching chilled pudding is a light and sophisticated take on the well-loved flavours of rhubarb and custard. Perfect for a weekend treat night.

The lightly fragrant flavour of cardamom works beautifully with this creamy dessert, especially when paired with the sweet poached rhubarb and a spicy ginger biscuit crumb.

You can make the creme anglaise and chill it in the glasses the day before if you like, then simply top with the chilled poached rhubarb and biscuit crumb when you are ready to serve.

Method

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes Chill time: 3 hours

You will need a sugar thermometer, two heavy based saucepans and a handheld blender.

Make the creme anglaise.

Put the gelatine leaf in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak.

Put the milk, cream, sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Crush the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar or with a rolling pin and add them to the pan. Stir everything together. Heat the milk on a low heat until it boils, then take off the heat and strain through a sieve into a large jug.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour in the milk mixture and whisking all the time until it is all combined. Wash out the pan and return the milk and egg mixture to it.

Get a large bowl and half fill with cold water. You will use this to rest the saucpan in to cool the mixture quickly. Have the handheld blender ready to use next to the bowl.

Use a sugar thermometer so you can see the temperature and slowly heat the egg and milk mixture to 70c, stirring all the time. When it reaches the right temperature, take the saucepan off the heat and put it straight onto the water in the bowl you have prepared. Add the gelatine sheet and blend together using the handheld blender. Keep blending until the creme anglaise has cooled. This will result in an aerated, light pudding.

When it is cool, leave it to settle for a few minutes while you put the rhubarb on. This allows the air bubbles to settle on the top.

For the rhubarb. Put the water and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil. Cut the rhubarb into 5cm pieces and add to the boiling sugar syrup. Boil for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat. Allow to cool in the pan. When it is cool, lift out with a slotted spoon, pour the remaining liquid over and chill.

This will give you much more rhubarb than you will need but it will keep in the fridge for a few days and is delicious with yoghurt for breakfast or on top of meringue nests with cream.

Return to the creme anglaise and divide it into 4 chilled glasses. This is most easily done by pouring it from a jug.

Chill for at least 3 hours or for up to 24 hours.

When you are ready to serve, crush the ginger nut biscuits by putting them into a plastic bag and hitting them with a rolling pin.

Place 1 or 2 pieces of rhubarb on top of each glass and sprinkle over the ginger crumb.

Serve immediately.

Ingredients

Creme Anglaise

150ml whipping cream

150ml milk

100g caster sugar

3 cardamom pods

6 large egg yolks